Goompa

Goompa is Goombario and Goombaria's grandfather. He is an elder Goomba and has extensive knowledge of the world, which comes from his adventures as a youth. In his prime, he used to travel the globe with his friends Koopa Koot and Bootler and today suffers from back aches. Goompa has taught his grandson everything he knows.

Goompa lives in Goomba Village with the rest of his family. In the beginning of Paper Mario, Goompa is fixing the veranda of their home with a Hammer. When Mario attempts to leave the village, Kammy Koopa appears and, using her magic, creates a yellow block that prevents Mario from leaving. Mario decides to ask Goompa for his Hammer and walks to the veranda. Unfortunately, the veranda has fallen apart, causing Goompa and Mario to plummet to the ground below. In order to get back to the village, Goompa temporarily joins Mario, and in lieu of fighting, he teaches Mario how to use the game's battle system and gives Mario his Hammer after it is found. Goompa also gives Mario the Power Jump badge after getting back to his house, and goes on to tell Mario how to equip and use badges.

One of the favors that Koopa Koot asks of Mario is that he retrieve a Tape that had been lent to Goompa a long time ago. When Mario retrieves the tape, he is curious of its contents, but Goompa refuses to tell him what is on the tape, commenting only that he enjoyed listening to it. At some point in the game, Goompa has written a letter to Goombario, which the player can read at the Post Office in Toad Town. There is also a letter for Goompa. When Parakarry delivers it to him, he rewards Mario with a Star Piece.

^In the Japanese version of Paper Mario, Goompa says the following when Mario first talks to him in the balcony: 「ワシは クリじいですじゃ じいさんの クリボーじゃから クリじいなんですじゃ」(I'm Kurijii. The grandpa (jiisan) of Goombas (kuribō), therefore Kurijii.)